U.S. Open Cup round of 16: Philadelphia Union 2, D.C. United 1

Ben Olsen’s five-minute postgame rant was better than any five-minute stretch that his team put together Tuesday night.

Olsen’s criticism of D.C. United’s performance after the 2-1 overtime loss to the Philadelphia Union in the U.S. Open Cup is included in my match report.

He also vented about the officiating, led by referee Jose Carlos Rivero:

“It was a typical Open Cup game. The referees were lousy – they always are – for both teams. Every Open Cup game, it just turns into an absolute circus. I don’t know if that needs to be addressed or not. Maybe that’s the fun of the Open Cup – that it’s an absolute zoo every game. But it gets old. Believe me, I’m not blaming the referees tonight, but it doesn’t help.

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“The refs don’t know how to handle the games ever. They don’t know how to punish guys when they commit a lot of fouls or should be thrown out of the game, and then it just escalates. They can’t handle it. It’s what it is, it’s what it has always been. And again, maybe that’s part of the fun of this Open Cup.”

That said, Olsen emphasized, “I don’t want, in any way, to make [it] look like I am scapegoating the referees on that game. Please do not do that. This is on me and this is on my players.”

It wouldn’t be an Open Cup match at Maryland SoccerPlex without two red cards, two goals in first-half added time, fuming coaches, a scuffle or two, strange bounces, unfathomable saves and a goal in extra time by a rookie who has played 26 minutes in MLS’s regular season.

“I love the Open Cup. I wanted to go far in this tournament. So I am gutted in that respect,” Olsen added.

With Tuesday’s results, the June 26 quarterfinals are set:

Harrisburg City Islanders (USL) at Philadelphia Union (MLS)

Dayton Dutch Lions (USL) at Sporting Kansas City (MLS)

Charlotte Eagles (USL) at Chivas USA (MLS)

Seattle Sounders (MLS) at San Jose Earthquakes (MLS)

After a bloody third round, MLS suffered only one blemish in the round of 16: The New York Red Bulls fell at Harrisburg in extra time, 3-1. The NASL (second division) went 0-2 Tuesday, while USL (third division) went 3-0. Both amateur sides fell: Cal FC at Seattle, 5-0, and the Michigan Bucks in extra time to Dayton, 2-1. Full details at thecup.us

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